Insanity in Torment
by Silent Little Lamb
Summary: After returning from hell, Johnny is free from the dough boys and their wall of terror. Only to come face to face with yet another horror.


Headphones on, Johnny C. walked the semi crowded streets, classical music drowning out any noise around him. He looked straight ahead as we walked, not sparing even a glance at the illuminated windows or the people that passed him. His goal was the small convenient store at the end of the corner. A trip that he frequently made to purchase freezes and chips.

Johnny's heavy boots scraped lazily along the cracked, stained pavement as he walked, with eyes closed momentarily to take in the soft passing breeze that caused him to wrinkle his nose in utter disgust. He imagined, the smell of the city, like a mix of week-old garbage filled with soiled adult diapers and cooked cabbage. He gagged at his own imagery.

Arriving at the convince store, Johnny was greeted by a single light that hung loosely from the corner of the building. It swayed in the breeze, casting eerie shadows over the vacant parking lot. The building itself had seen better days, windows boarded up from a recent break-in and vandalism, paint chipped and cracked, it was a wonder the place hadn't closed its doors for good.

The cowbell above the door rang loudly as Johnny pushed his way in. The young dark haired man behind the counter didn't look up, focused on a show car magazine. Johnny paid no mind, he had come here for one reason, well two reasons, freezes and chips. He walked down the aisle filled with candy and avoided the yellow wet floor sign as he walked to the freezy machine.

Giddy with enthusiasm, Johnny wrapped his fingers around the larger of the cup choices, filling it to the brim with cherry flavored icy heaven. He poked a straw through the lid of the frosty drink, walked to the counter and pulled back his headphones. He placed the drink and crispy onion chips on the , the tall young man behind the counter was on the phone with his back facing Johnny, paying no attention to his waiting customer.

"Excuse me..." Johnny said attempting to get the man's attention. But, his low, soft voice went either unheard or just simply unanswered. It didn't matter, the once patent costumer was quickly becoming irritated. "Hello?" He tried again, his soft voice more stern. He was rewarded for his efforts with a dirty look.

"Can you hold on?" The cashier asked into the phone. He placed the phone down beside him. "Some people can be so rude..." He mumbled, but made no attempt to try and hide what he was saying. This, sent Johnny over the edge.

It was quick, but far from painless. The cell phone was snatched from its resting place, leaping gracefully over the counter, Johnny slammed the phone into the stunned cashier's opened mouth, pushing it far back into his throat.

The Cashier's eyes grew wide, staring at his killer. He clawed at his throat, choking and spitting up phlegm. Johnny let the man fall to the floor, his satisfied smirk was quick to fade. Something was wrong with this scene, it needed more color, He decided.

Reaching out his arm behind him, Johnny grabbed hold of a pair of scissors laying next to the cash register. The cashier was dead, foaming at the mouth, eyes staring at nothing. Johnny didn't register this, that, or didn't care. He lifted the scissors above his head, metal point aimed for the decease's chest. A twisted grin tugged at his soft features.

Then he heard a giggle. Johnny stopped, lowered his scissors and looked around as he listened. He heard a sigh, a female voice, but even after scanning the small room a few times, he could see no one.

"Hello?"

"Hello?" The female voice echoed. It sounded almost child like, playful yet menacing.

Johnny walked around the counter, no longer interested in the cashier or the freezy. "Where are you?" He looked down each aisle, scissors still gripped firmly in his hand.

"Up here!" The voice chuckled, as if it was something that he should have already known.

He looked up. There was boxes on top of the freezers, still scanning the small building, behind the cash register cigarettes, cigars and liquor. A shelf higher, cleaning supples. His eyes scanned over the dusty shelves and rested on a porcelain doll.

The doll sat slumped and forgotten, her once white face yellowish in color, long black hair laid messy on her head. Soulless black eyes stared at Johnny. "You..." He pointed at the doll accusingly. It earned him another chuckle.

Johnny walked back behind the counter,stepping over the body and climbing up the small wooden ladder. He plucked the doll from it's resting spot and looked it over. The doll was quiet. She wore a torn and stained black dress. a crack went from her missing left eye to the corner of her ruby red mouth.

After a good once over, he set the doll back down his mind once again returning to his original goal, freezes and chips.

Grabbing his goods, Johnny tossed the money on the counter and started on his way out.

"Wait! Don't leeeeeeave meeeeeee." The doll wailed. The cry sent chills down Johnny's spine. He turned back to the doll. She stared back. He was unsure what to do, he mindlessly nursed his freezy...

The walk back home was unpleasant, it had started to rain. His hair, what little he had left of it, was plastered to his head. His cloths soaked. Once back home he tossed the wet doll on the couch and changed.

He walked back in the room moments later shoveling chips into his mouth. He looked at the doll again. Just what he needed. "What is you name?"

Maybe it was just his imagination, he was crazy after all, but the doll almost seemed to grin. The corner of her delicate lips turned only slightly. "Mikko."

"I'm..."

"I know who you are, Nny." Mikko interrupted, her voice, it seemed to almost be changing, sometimes it sounded playful like that of a child's, other times it was darker. Johnny just nodded. of course she new who he was. Her voice turned playful again.

"We're going to be the best of friends! I just know it!."

Some how, Johnny didn't like the sound of that...


End file.
